attempts to try reform or abolish capital punishment
Death penalty has been since history used for punishing individuals who commit specific crimes. This dates back in the eighteenth century during the reign of King Hammurabi who declared death penalty for crimes that were being committed by people (Stephen, 2010). In the seventh century, Draconian made death penalty as a punishment for all crimes that criminals do. This was executed through burning alive, impalement, drowning, beating to death and crucification. Hanging was the main way of death penalty that was being executed in Britain. During the reign of Henry VIII in sixteenth century at least 72000 people were executed through burning at stake, boiling, beheading, boiling, quartering and drawing. This was mainly done to punish people when they refuse to confess a crime, treason and for marrying a Jew. In 1700s capital crimes had increased in Britain and crimes that were punishable include cutting down a tree, robbing rabbit warren and stealing. In America, recorded first capital punishment was of Captain George Kendall in 1608 that was punishment for spying for Spain. In 1612 the law provided penalty even for minor offences like killing chicken, trading Indians and stealing grapes.
There have been many attempts to try reform or abolish capital punishment by CPP in partnership with ACLU affiliates in states that are experiencing death penalty punishment to promote abolition and reformation of death penalty (John, 2009). This has been done through direct representation of criminals having death penalty cases and seems like declaring death penalty to them will be unfair, strategic litigation which give focus to people who are innocent, those that have severe mental illness, those who are to be executed though because they are being systematically discriminated and this is mainly done to improve fairness to those rendered guilty, systematic reformation which focuses to improve the quality of services when making legal representation to improve fairness in cases involving capital trials and appeals and also to reduce the number of those facing capital punishment and lastly CPP also provide public education and advocacy and working to abolish the use of capital punishment. Between the year 19991-1998 it has been argued that capital punishment had less or sometimes no impact on crime.
In countries where capital punishment is not in the constitution, many people have been involved in committing many crimes like treason, drugs trafficking, stealing without fear because they know that they will be jailed and able to be bailed out. This has led to many to commit these crimes because they know that no significant punishment will be charged on them. This has made many states to propose capital punishment which can act as a way of reducing crimes in the state since many people fear dying and more so being killed as a form of punishment. Many states are resorting for death penalty policy to be implemented because the rate of crime has increased. Furthermore imprisoning and imposing death penalty to some criminals leads to public safety because releasing them make people living with them to live in fear of them continuing to commit the previous crime for example continuing to kill or rape people which are a danger to the society. Death penalty acts to incapacitate the offender and to prevent current or future offence being carried out by same individuals.
In most states it has therefore being included in the constitution to impose death penalty to murderers, rapists, drug offenders, parole violators and other significant crimes (John, 2009).
REFERENCES
1.” History of capital punishment” Stephen-startord. Co.uk.Retrieved 23 August 2010
- John Paul Wright (14 December 2009) “Rational Choice Theories Oxford Bibliographies”, Retrieved 3 February 2016